Greens post highest ever by-election result in Haltemprice & Howden
10 July 2008
Shan Oakes has set a new record for a Green by-election result, taking second place in Haltemprice & Howden with 7.4% of the vote. The result is another boost to the Greens' plans to win their first Westminster seats at the next general election, after the party beat Labour for the first time, a fortnight ago in Henley. The Greens' previous high in a by-election was 6.1% at Vauxhall in 1989.
Principal Speaker Derek Wall, who has been campaigning in Haltemprice & Howden this week and attended the count, said:
"The willingness of so many Labour and Liberal Democrat supporters to put their faith in the Greens, even though it's our first run in the constituency in recent years, shows that mainstream voters see the Greens as a real alternative to bland and complacent politics.
"Our defeat of Labour at Henley last month, and the strong result in East Yorkshire last night, shows that left-of-centre voters are ready to elect Green MPs as well as councillors.
"In Brighton Pavilion and Norwich South, Labour votes have collapsed at the almost exactly the same rate the Green vote has advanced, and we have overtaken Labour since the last general election. We are now squarely on course to make the breakthrough."
Haltemprice and Howden result in full
David Davis (C) 17,113 (72.06%, +24.60%)
Shan Oakes (Green) 1,758 (7.40%)
Joanne Robinson (Eng Dem) 1,714 (7.22%)
Tess Culnane (NF) 544 (2.29%)
Gemma Garrett (Miss GB Party) 521 (2.19%)
Jill Saward (Ind) 492 (2.07%)
Mad Cow-Girl (Loony) 412 (1.73%)
Walter Sweeney (Ind) 238 (1.00%)
(18 other candidates scored below 1%)
Turnout: 23,749 (33.80%, -36.35%)
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Shan Oakes blog
